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Stormcrow
2007-09-25, 10:27 PM
Basically running a campaign for three PCs and an NPC crew on the sea of fallen stars in Faerun. They are nominally pirates but mostly they follow the captain's whim. If the money is right they do contract theivery, if its a bit slow they hit merchant ships and they aren't above a little adventure.

Basically the captain is whimsical and I want to throw lots and lots and lots of plot hooks their way at every port they come to etc that way she has lots of choices.

Thus my question;

What are some cool pirate missions/quests/adventures?, level is irrelevant I can make it work.

EndgamerAzari
2007-09-25, 10:38 PM
Doing what you want, 'cuz a pirate is free? And you are a---

Sorry. One of the fun things is blockade running. Maybe the other ships are after the PCs for some reason, maybe they're other pirates, or maybe it's some island nation's defenses. (Either way, beware the Shatter Floor spell...)

Lord Tataraus
2007-09-25, 10:40 PM
I definately suggest getting Stormwrack (if you don't already have it) and get the party into a ship-to-ship battle. Make sure everyone can do something like take profession (siege engineer) to man the cannons.

kpenguin
2007-09-25, 10:42 PM
The husband of one of the women they..... had their way with wants revenge.

The ambitious and brilliant captain of the S.S. Government wants to hunt them down.

They get shipwrecked on an island that is more than what it seems. Beware the Others!

A unscrupulous admiral obtains the phylacetry of a powerful sea-based lich and sets out to eliminate piracy once and for all in order to control the seas. Sound familiar?:smalltongue:

Stormcrow
2007-09-25, 11:03 PM
To clarify, they do alot of sea battles, they are Pirates afterall. I'm looking for interesting things to do to break up the sea battles a bit more.

Collin152
2007-09-25, 11:08 PM
They come upon the HMS Pinafore, and are forced to help the captain's daughter, Josephine, hook up with the foremast hand, Ralph, while keeping her out of the clutches of the ruler of the queen's navee, Sir Joseph.
Or, you know, something not stolen from GIlbert and Sullivan.
Like... cursed treasure that bestows immortality, at the price that moonlight turns them to- wait... that's been done too...
They capture a ship that turns out to be alive, slowly eating its occupants. However, by eating human flesh, it can repair itself.

Ralfarius
2007-09-25, 11:31 PM
An easy way to throw pirates out of their element: a storm damages the ship, forces them to land on some unfamiliar shore. Could be a "deserted" island, a coastline held by an unfriendly group, what have you.

I was one privy to a FR campaign that dumped the players on the bad side of the jungles of Chult, and they had a merry old time The Lost World-ing their way out. My aspiring dwarven buccaneer lost his hand to a reptile (this was planned beforehand), but they found themselves a fine ship that had been abandoned, and their pirating career really took off from there.

Nothing beats a dwarf dread pirate with a stump knife and few ranks in perform (sing) for sea shanties.

Winterking
2007-09-26, 12:00 AM
The party receives a map/clue/poem/sketch/engraving that hints at/leads to/describes the secret island hideout where The Great And Famous Pirate King lived and stashed his treasure (quite an absurd amount of it). (some of these ideas I combined for my own campaign, and it seemed to work well)

Possible complications/side plots/twists:
1)Their map is a forgery
2) Their map was supposed to be a forgery, but actually is the real thing
3) It's the real thing, and the Pirate King's cronies/enemies/descendants/acquaintances want it back--think Treasure Island
4)The island hideout is in a Forbidden section of ocean, either enemy-controlled, or inhabited by monsters, or whatever
5)There's some trick to getting into the island--you can't just sail there. (in my campaign, the trick was that a channel existed into the center of an atoll-like island, but it was only passable on extreme high tides)
6)The Pirate King's halls were looted long ago, and a Wronged Innocent was marooned there, with plot hooks galore.
7) The treasure is hidden somewhere on the island, but the map doesn't show where.
8)The island is slowly or quickly sinking. Or it's a volcano, and about to explode
9)The Pirate King left guardians to protect his/her treasure.
10) The Pirate King is still alive, and wants to protect his/her treasure
11) Monsters moved in, and claimed the treasure.
12) The treasure turns out to be cursed, or enchanted by a spell of Plot Hook
13) The treasure is just maps/riddles for more treasure. Or it's a better ship.
14) the treasure rightfully belongs to someone, or to someone's family. (depends on PC alignments...)

Alternative ideas:
-Go whaling, ala Moby A-Nickname-For-Richard-That-The-Message-Board-Software-Automatically-Censors, but for a Kraken or Pleisiosaur.
-The PCs are becalmed, and have to figure out why there's no wind--a curse? an angry god? a Jonah?
-A storm/hurricane! The PCs are caught in it, or need to rescue someone whose ship is caught in the storm.
-The ship is driven onto a shoal or reef, and the PCs need to find timber & repair it.
-If it's a big ship with a big crew (or a very small ship with, in theory, just the PCs aboard), someone is slowly sabotaging the ship/murdering crew members. Who is to blame? Who can be trusted? This would work well if you give individual PCs separate bits of evidence, some true and some false, that might point to other members of their party. Will they work together and find the culprit, or turn on eachother?
-A new island is found, and needs to be explored...or is it actually a magical/monstrous trap?

Solo
2007-09-26, 12:26 AM
http://members.shaw.ca/mickee/blog_images/pirate/last_saskatchewan_pirate.htm

May you draw inspiration from it!

Funkyodor
2007-09-26, 01:20 AM
Several plot bits that were neat in a pirate adventure I participated in.

We got captured and incorporated into the 'pirate' life. Several months later after the ship got loaded with treasure from other raiding and the like, captain takes some of the 'newbies' to shore to help load the treasure into his secret treasure den. His plan being get newbies to help load treasure then kill 'em off and leave them to the bog. Same time second in command starts a mutiny and leads some men off in search of an ambush spot. Was fun.

Captain encounters 'friendly' pirate vessel and a party ensues. Next day other captain gets killed by government spy/assassin to get pirates to fight each other.

Captain bands other pirate ships together to waylay the AD&D equivalent of a spanish gold galleon being escorted between nations. Spies, betrayal, intrigue, etc...

tsuyoshikentsu
2007-09-26, 02:42 AM
A unscrupulous admiral obtains the phylacetry of a powerful sea-based lich and sets out to eliminate piracy once and for all in order to control the seas. Sound familiar?:smalltongue:

You could probably do a twist on that. Say, a pirate captures it instead, and him and his unholy terror are making it bad days to be sailing at all.


They come upon the HMS Pinafore, and are forced to help the captain's daughter, Josephine, hook up with the foremast hand, Ralph, while keeping her out of the clutches of the ruler of the queen's navee, Sir Joseph.
Or, you know, something not stolen from GIlbert and Sullivan.

I would play that. I LIKE G+S.


Like... cursed treasure that bestows immortality, at the price that moonlight turns them to- wait... that's been done too...

Again, you could do this too with a twist. Hey -- maybe that's why the lich is invincible! :smallbiggrin:


They capture a ship that turns out to be alive, slowly eating its occupants. However, by eating human flesh, it can repair itself.

I would keep this ship and use it. Does that make me a bad person?

Ralfarius
2007-09-26, 10:22 AM
I would keep this ship and use it. Does that make me a bad person?
Yes! But who cares? You have a freaking self-repairing ship!

Runolfr
2007-09-26, 11:34 AM
What are some cool pirate missions/quests/adventures?, level is irrelevant I can make it work.

Derelict Ship
Hook: The pirates find a ship adrift at sea.
Objective: Get any loot from it they can; maybe find out what happened to the crew.
Conflicts: The ship could be haunted. It could be the victim of an attack by aquatic monsters that are still in the area (possibly using the derelict as bait).

Privateering
Hook: A king, merchant prince, or other authority figure hires ships to attack rivals at sea.
Objective: Target shipping of a specific nation or organization and take their stuff.
Conflicts: Crews of the targets are unlikely to cooperate, and may have substantial resources of their own. The king/prince/whatever may try to double-cross the privateers.

Intercept Cargo
Hook: Something valuable is being transported by sea.
Objective: Take it before it reaches its destination.
Conflicts: The cargo will be well defended. Other pirates may try to beat you to it. There may be a decoy or other subterfuge involved.

Passengers
Hook: Someone pays for sea passage to a distant port.
Objective: Get the passenger(s) safely to the destination.
Conflicts: The passenger(s) may be on the run from powerful people who want them dead or captured. The passenger(s) may be leading the pirates into a trap. The intended destination or the path to it may be inherently dangerous.

Mysterious Island
Hook: On one of its journeys, the ship passes an island that promises wealth and adventure.
Objective: Have fun and/or get rich.
Conflicts: Dangerous natives and local wildlife. Monsters living on or near the island may deliberately try to get ships to land there by damaging their hulls, using magic on the crew, altering the weather, or otherwise creating situations that make a safe port look like a good idea at the time.

Land Raid
Hook: There's something of value to be had at that port or on that shore.
Objective: Get the goods (or destroy the doodad) and escape by sea.
Conflicts: Locals don't want to lose their doodad(s).

Free Shipping Lanes
Hook: A monster or pirate ship is menacing an area, attacking all ships.
Objective: Break the blockade.
Conflicts: Once the party's ship enters the menaced area, it is subject to attack by the monster/enemy ship.

Runolfr
2007-09-26, 11:45 AM
Commandeered
Hook: Someone tries to steal the ship.
Objective: Prevent the theft, or get the ship back.
Conflict: Fight off the guys trying to take the ship; fight them to regain control of the ship; convince someone else to give you a ship with which to chase your own ship (possibly getting stuck with a quest on their behalf).

Shore Leave
Hook: The crew take a break in a "safe" port.
Objective: Have a good time on shore.
Conflict: One or more crew members are recognized as "pirates" and arrested; local officials try to arrest them. Local rogues try to rob one or more crewmen, possibly by tricky means like drugging the rum at the tavern. Trouble breaks out in the port (invasion by monsters, natural disaster, plague, crazy wizard, whatever), and the crew need to cope with it before they can get back to the ship.

Contest
Hook: A rival pirate crew claim to be the better sailors, fighters, whatever.
Objective: Demonstrate the superiority of your own crew, captain, ship, whatever.
Conflict: Win the barfight, race, riddle game, whatever.

Runolfr
2007-09-26, 11:57 AM
Sabotage
Hook: Someone arranges for a crisis to occur when the ship is far from help.
Objective: Keep from sinking, starving, becoming hopelessly lost, etc.
Conflicts: Find materials to repair the ship, supplies to keep the crew going, replacement compass, or whatever is needed to get back to normal operation.

Mysterious Assailant
Hook: Ships in the area are disappearing.
Objective: Find out what's causing the disappearances and possibly stop them.
Conflicts: The assailant may be a monster that sinks ships, eats their crews, and keeps their loot. On the other hand, it may be a lonely nymph who magically brings ships to her undersea cave to keep her company. It may be a well-meaning person/monster whose trying to save the ships from some other perceived threat. It may be someone trying to assemble a fleet of ships for another conflict, using magic to enslave the crews.

Smuggle
Hook: Someone wants to move contraband from one port to another.
Objective: Get the cargo to its destination without it being discovered.
Conflicts: The cargo is illegal at one or both ports. Trickery may be required to get it loaded without the authorities noticing, and likewise trickery may be needed to unload it secretly at the destination, and the the port authorities may inspect quite intrusively at either or both ports. Rivals may learn of the cargo and seek to steal it before it reaches its destination, or someone may tip off the authorities at some point. The whole thing may be a trick to get the crew into trouble so they can be arrested and their ship seized.

Bad Port
Hook: Local organized criminals or greedy officials want to overcharge for services, enslave the crew, and/or steal the ship.
Objective: Do business in port, obtain necessary supplies, and escape from port safely.
Conflicts: Get around outrageous docking fees, find supplies at reasonable prices, conduct business without undue interference, avoid being arrested on false charges, and/or fend off an attempt to board/confiscate the ship.

Kenbert
2007-09-26, 12:06 PM
One good alternative to the standard sea battle is having to capture a ship without firing a shot. or without other nearby ships realizing what's happening. or without the people in the bowels of the ship knowing what's going on. For instance, they have a hostage and the PCs have to rescue him, but the crew isn't beyond killing them to keep them out of your hands (or a kidnapping mission, for that matter). Just ... anything so it's not a straight battle and they've got to use their wits.

You could also do some escort missions ... maybe one where they run into trouble, and one where it's really easy and nothing happens, but ... once they get to their destination, they find another plot hook such as ...

local militia under attack from some sort of group. They're willing to pay well for support and are willing to give non-monetary rewards as well.

drawingfreak
2007-09-26, 12:32 PM
I DMed a d20 Past pirate game in a world not too different from our own. The heroes accidentally brought Davy Jones back to life, who was a necromancer before he died, and had to fight off him and his zombie armies. WHOO!

I think I had them start at level 4.
Game 1) Raid merchant ship that has a magical stone on it that the captain (NPC, level 8) was commissioned to retreive.
Game 2) Crew stumbles upon the person who commissioned for the stone while searching for the Captain who has not returned to the ship after docking. Stone is used to sacrifice one of the crew (NPC) to raise Davy Jones. Captain found there knocked out but alive.
Game 3) Search for information. Info on an island in the southeast that may have an item there that could help. Island inhabited by the undead who won't enter a certain cave. Cave has an old lantern in it that won't light through usual means. Zombies won't go near the lantern (30ft).
Game 4) Search for information. Another magic item on a merchant ship in the east. Merchant ship is being attacked by another ship crewed by skeletons. Item: another stone
Game 5) Rumors say Davy Jones and the man who raised him (have him connected to the captain in some way) are attacking towns. Fight with Davy Jones (Zombie Master).

tsuyoshikentsu
2007-09-26, 01:34 PM
Yes! But who cares? You have a freaking self-repairing ship!

You, sir, are first mate material. Report to the Eternal Hunger at sunrise, and bring at least three annoying and unwanted relatives.

BardicDuelist
2007-09-26, 02:20 PM
It turns out that part of your ship (which you stole) contains a lich's soulbox thingy (I can't spell that word to save my life). After your ship is damaged in combat, the lich is unhappy and wants it back.

You are arrested and must escape a gulag. Possibly lead a rebelion.

The rest of the crew mutanies and throws you and the captain off the ship.

Strange turtle island thing (which seems to be so cliche).

The crew slowly dies and re animates as zombies trying to kill you (really good before you get fly and other spells which let you escape the ship). You defeat the zombies and are lost at sea.

Underwater dungeon to rescue somone. Have it before they get access to water breathing magic. Leave pockets of air toward the ceiling where they can breathe, but they must swim there to do so (even during combat).

Mike_Lemmer
2007-09-26, 02:28 PM
Exploration? Setting up deals with underwater races to plunder a particularly juicy-yet-well-defended ship? Hunting down a treasure fleet? Doing a land raid on a rich city with a well-defended harbor but middling land defenses (because no one would be crazy enough to attack through that jungle)?

Collin152
2007-09-26, 03:50 PM
You, sir, are first mate material. Report to the Eternal Hunger at sunrise, and bring at least three annoying and unwanted relatives.

Hey, I invented that boat. Ship, sorry. Wheres my gold, name-bestowing-captains-daughter-marrying master of mine?

Landy
2007-09-26, 05:37 PM
Use a Kracken. I've always wanted to include them, but an oversized squid has a hard time fitting into a campaign mostly set up on land. Don't let this opprotunity pass. Oh, and you could make it some weird variant lich too if you really wanted.

tsuyoshikentsu
2007-09-26, 08:36 PM
Hey, I invented that boat. Ship, sorry. Wheres my gold, name-bestowing-captains-daughter-marrying master of mine?

Well, let me see, I think I have it right- oh, no, no, wait, PIRATE. :smallamused:

knightsaline
2007-09-27, 01:35 AM
Why not have the group "obtain" some rum, only to find out that there is a dead body preserved in the barrel of rum.

Or have the group find the legendary "Solitary Fragment", an artifact that declares the owner the leader of the Brotherhood.

Or have the group take down some rogue privateers, including one extremely overpowered swordsman.

Or find an island with the cursed "Baator vegetables", that grant the eater a power, at the cost of all their ranks in swim and a hefty penalty to swim to boot.

Now I'm just stealing ideas from one piece.

XiaoTie
2007-09-27, 08:27 AM
Why not have the group "obtain" some rum, only to find out that there is a dead body preserved in the barrel of rum.

Or have the group find the legendary "Solitary Fragment", an artifact that declares the owner the leader of the Brotherhood.

Or have the group take down some rogue privateers, including one extremely overpowered swordsman.

Or find an island with the cursed "Baator vegetables", that grant the eater a power, at the cost of all their ranks in swim and a hefty penalty to swim to boot.

Now I'm just stealing ideas from one piece.

When I was reading the line before the last I went like "waaaaaaaait a minute..."


How about this: The party runs into a merchant ship (with zero to no defense aparently) that they had already heard about (said ship would be carrying a large ammount of gold and gems). Being the good pirates they are they approach to board and loot.

The ship was evenditently attacked not long ago, and is actually owned by a group of pirates that still are aboard bellow decks healing the injuries of some. After the whole fight, the PCs would find a map and just a journal, few gems and silver coins on a chest. The pirate in charge of being the "officer" in the ship used to wrote on the journal, about how huge their pillages were and the insane ammount of gold that was hidden on their headquarters. The map would lead them to that headquarters (the "officer" was a wee bit weak on the "memory about routes" part, he blamed the rum).

Now you can insert some encounters with other pirate ships, merchant ships, maybe even the navy of some kingdom.

You could use [1], [2] or [3] as the next step:

[1]The island on the map, where the headquarters is located, is a small one, and the building is deep inside the jungle (few more encounters ?), the party would eventually to find the headquarters (they could rest somewhere in the jungle to go inside only after healing themselves). There is noone on the first level of the building. A secret door would lead to a staircase that leads to the real headquarters. You got yourself a small dungeon crawl with a good ammount of treasure :D

[2]The island on the map, where the headquarters is located, is rather small. The building is a fortified keep on the top of a hill. There is nothing like a lighthouse, the only way they could see ships comin was from a watch tower within the walls of the keep. When the PCs are noticed the watch tower warns the pirates within the keep to sail and fight the PCs (since most of the pirates would be out gathering treasures the number would be a low one, maybe 1 to 3 ships ?); After the battle, it would be easy to conquer the keep :D

[3] [1] (the keep being on the top of a hill) + [2]